A candidate's performance in the actual exam room often differs noticeably from how they play during regular practice, and this gap usually comes down to a few common mistakes. The first is insecure memorisation — nerves can easily cause a memory slip that interrupts the performance. The second is unstable rhythm, particularly in faster passages, where anxiety often causes candidates to rush ahead of the beat.

A third common issue is overlooking exam etiquette — greeting the examiner, adjusting the piano stool height, and composing oneself before starting to play. These details may seem unrelated to the music itself, but they do shape an examiner's overall impression.

Pianoshop.sg recommends candidates run through at least two or three full mock exams beforehand, with a teacher or parent playing the role of examiner, to rehearse the entire process from entering the room to leaving it — helping candidates adjust to the psychological pressure of a real exam and reduce the chance of slip-ups on the day.